Friday, September 14, 2012

Poll Needed: Mormon v. Gay Marriage

Someone should take a poll. In addition to the standard "Do you support or oppose gay marriage," question, people should be asked: "Do you support or oppose Mormon marriage?"

Of course, to be able to answer that, American citizens would have to have an honest, factual description of the Latter Day Saints Temple marriage ceremony. Mitt Romney could describe it to the American people. But he won't. He would say it is a sacred secret. And it will remain secret, as long as the corporate media refuse to run the story, which is available from numerous ex-Mormons.

I have been trying to study up on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, yet I did not hear about what actually happens at a "sealing" until last night. Of six people at a dinner party last night, four were former Mormons. Two had been members of the well-known Utah sect, while two had been raised in the Reorganized LDS. [For the record, I am a Naturalist but was raised Catholic, and the sixth person was vaguely New Age]

The truth about Mormon marriage is easy to verify from other former Mormons. Here is an extremely brief account of the marriage sealing, focused on the most troubling point:

Usually a number of marriages take place at the same time, like in the Unification Church. Everybody gets naked and then is given a very small poncho-like garment to wear. The anointing is done with oil, which the priest or priestess rubs on the orifices: ears, nostrils, mouth, genitals and anus. [Some report considerably more rubbing, including the head, neck, shoulders, chest, legs, and feet]. Apparently practices vary from temple to temple; in Salt Lake City, at least, the person doing the rubbing is behind a screen, but at least some smaller temples seem to omit that.

After the rubbing you get your secret name, secret handshake, magic undergarments, and presumable, make your vows. [For some typical first-hand stories see Naked Touching in the Mormon Temple, which includes the ritual words used with the "annointing".]

The question is, did Mitt Romney allow his wife to be forced through these indignities? Did he allow his children to be so abused when they were married? And is he part of a long-range plan to force these indignities on all Americans?

Another troubling point is that young people are not told in advance what is going to happen in the "ceremony." There they are at the Temple, with families waiting outside, under intense pressure to comply no matter what the secrets of the temple turn out to be.

Again, the professional pollsters should fact-check to find out what the official ceremony is, as well as the various local deviations.

Then we should see what Americans think of Mormon marriage, by a properly conducted poll. Maybe we need a Constitutional Amendment to ban it. Let the Mormons get married in a church or justice of the peace by taking vows, like normal people.

Note: I believe in both religious tolerance and the right to criticize. See my Toleration essay.